Thursday, July 2, 2009

As per schedule, this morning Sebastian Giovinco underwent an operation to his nose under Professor Tubino at the Chivasso hospital and will remain hospitalized until tomorrow morning, Thursday 2nd July. The Juventus youngster underwent the operation to restore normal breathing. The operation was a complete success and as from today he will be counting down the 21 days needed to recover before getting back to sporting activities when he will join his team mates in preparation for the start of the new season.

Juventus President Giovanni Cobolli Gigli has rejected reports linking his club with Xabi Alonso and insists he still wants Gaetano D'Agostino. A deal for D'Agostino broke down last week as Juventus and Udinese couldn't agree a fee for the 27-year-old holding midfielder. “There are many names for the central midfield but not that of Xabi Alonso,” Cobolli Gigli said. “I have gathered from the Press our interest for the Spanish player. He is a good footballer but I don't believe that to say I have read his name in the newspaper is sufficient. I also know nothing about Marek Hamsik. “The deal [for D'Agostino] has gone cold. Udinese are a serious club with prepared directors who are capable negotiators. “We are negotiating to find a solution between our valuation and the one Udinese gives the player. “The talks are complex. The fact is that on top of money Udinese also want our players who we consider to be columns of the Juventus of the future. “Anyway, the respect and our theoretical interest in the player remains,” Cobolli Gigli added. He then acknowledged that players who don't want to be sold have hampered Juventus' transfer strategy. The Bianconeri had organised to sell Christian Poulsen to Fenerbahce but he rejected the move to Turkey. “Our market is blocked by players who don't want to be sold. Sure, before we can buy we have to sell. “Poulsen is one of the players we put up for sale and in theory also David Trezeguet. “It's clear we have to accelerate. It would be very positive if we could communicate our sales and subsequent acquisitions within the next 10 days,” he explained. Cobolli Gigli then turned his attention to Pavel Nedved, who left Juventus at the end of the season, but might not retire after all. “I hope Nedved makes part of Juventus' technical family. When the championship finished, Pavel assured us that he had hung up his boots. “Then his agent is a convincing man, but if he were to come to Juventus we would all be happy to have him on the technical staff. “I don't believe it is possible to see him again on the pitch. He told us that he no longer has the necessary fitness to do a great championship for a great team.” In a final thought, Cobolli Gigli gave his opinion on news that Luciano Moggi advised Bologna towards the end of last season. “Mr Moggi is a man who worked in the world of football for many years. He has many friends and admirers and it's fine like this,” he concluded.

Fabio Cannavaro has recommended Juventus sign Mahamadou Diarra, but admits he isn't in charge of transfer strategy. The 35-year-old Italy captain, who rejoined the Bianconeri this summer after three years with Real Madrid, knows the club are looking for a holding midfielder. “Diarra is a friend, but I don't do the market, the club do,” Cannavaro told Sky Italia. He then spoke about Napoli, his hometown team, who rejected the chance to sign him this summer. “At 35 they considered me old. It wasn't a question of economics. It would have been a free transfer.” Finally, Cannavaro turned his attention to the Confederations Cup. Cannavaro had a shocker as Italy were knocked out in the group stages. “The Confederations Cup made us understand that playing at altitude is difficult. “We need to plan things better. We have a year to prepare ourselves,” Cannavaro concluded.

Three Italian teams are reportedly chasing Corinthians defender Andre Santos, according to Sportmediaset.it, with Juventus, Roma and Fiorentina having all expressed their interest in the Brazilian international player.

According to these reports, the Bianconeri are leading the pack, encouraged by the player himself who earlier declared that he would be extremely happy to play in Turin.

This suggests that the Old Lady have shifted their attention away from Liverpool player Andrea Dossena and Olympique Lyon defender Fabio Grosso, in order to concentrate on Andre Santos.

The Brazilian would only cost Juventus around €6-7 million and is much younger than Grosso at 26 years of age.

Roma are just behind the Bianconeri and are closely monitoring the situation and ready to pounce should the opportunity present itself in the coming days or weeks.

Andre Santos has just won the Confederations Cup with his national team and was a starter for the Verdeoro during the competition.

Juventus and Ac Milan have lost out on the opportunity to sign Real Madrid midfielder Fernando Gago, according to Goal.com Italia.

During the Merengues' presentation of high-profile signing Kaka on Tuesday evening, sporting director Jorge Valdano revealed that Gago would be remaining at the club and be assigned the number 5 jersey he had asked for.

The Argentine has been linked with the two Serie A giants, but it appears they will have to explore other options.

It is no secret the Bianconeri are trying to reinforce their central midfield as they have also been tracking Gaetano D'Agostino and Gago's los Blancos team-mate Mahamadou Diarra.

Meanwhile, with Chelsea chasing playmaker Andrea Pirlo, the Rossoneri were eyeing the 23-year-old as a potential replacement should their Italian international depart for Stamford Bridge. However, it has been confirmed he will be staying in the Spanish capital.

Gago joined Real Madrid in 2007 from Boca Juniors and has made over 90 appearances for the club since that time.

Former Juventus defender Paolo Montero believes Ciro Ferrara is the right man to lead the Old Lady in her quest for glory.

Montero played alongside Ferrara from 1996 to 2005 and the pair formed a solid partnership at the heart of the Juventus defence. The Uruguayan has hit out at the sceptics who claimed Ferrara didn't have the experience, and he has used Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola's success to underline his point.

"Ciro is the person who is right for the role. No-one knows the environment better than he does," Montero told Tuttosport.

"He was a leader on the pitch and he will also be a leader on the bench. He has the charisma to guide a major club, and this is fundamental.

"Only in Italy can people have their doubts over him. Guardiola, who is younger than Ciro, won with Barcelona and there are more examples around."

Montero has also hailed the club's transfer market activity so far, paying particular attention to Diego's arrival from Werder Bremen.

"Diego showed he is a champion at Werder Bremen, and he was already in the Brazil squad at 18. He is a guarantee for Juventus, but don't compare him to Zinedine Zidane as he was number one," concluded the former defender.

Earlier today it was reported that disgraced former Juventus manager Luciano Moggi may make a shock return to football despite being handed a six-year ban following the infamous Calciopoli scandal in 2006.

Today the 71-year-old was in Naples for a trial, and upon leaving the courthouse he spoke to some journalists about the events of three years ago.

"Instead of football stadiums now I am mostly found in court," he joked, as reported on IlSole24Ore.com.

"We were being followed, the Telecom trial of Milan is revealing this. They followed us.

"Did I give foreign phone cards to the referees? Do you think that if a referee was my associate I would need to call him five times? I would go to his dressing room and pat him on the shoulder."

He then took another jibe at Inter, who have dominated Italian football in the aftermath of the scandal. Recently the salesman who provided Moggi with his foreign phone cards revealed that Inter manager Marco Branca was one of his clients.

"If Inter went to that store and a former Telecom security officer had two Swiss phone cards confiscated, I think that if one and one still equals two, the conclusion is clear...," Moggi concluded.